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How to be truly happy!

Life wasn’t meant to be fair. A utopian society would never work as has been proven time and time again. God created everyone with free will. We were all given different talents, strengths and advantages/disadvantages. The bumps we run into in life are actually opportunities in disguise (some actually refer to them as character building moments).

Think of it this way – we can look at these negative events, occurrences, illnesses, etc. that come our way as why me – what did I do to deserve these circumstances? Why did this have to happen to me and/or my family? Or we can turn it around and say “I am still alive, breathing and kicking – I can enjoy and get as much out of each day as possible – I can be full of strength and give others hope – I can be an example of someone that never gave up.”

We can get up each morning and thank God for the beautiful day before us and the wonderful world that he has provided for us. We can thank him for the strong friends he has provided for us and family members that we couldn’t imagine life without. When we can turn these things around and become positive and thank God that things aren’t worse and that he is fighting our battles for us and that we will come out stronger that is when we start winning the battle. Our character can only grow stronger. We become thankful for what we have.

Remember, no matter how bad the bumps are we face in life there are others (millions of them) that are in far worse circumstances. Many are in dire or even catastrophic circumstances. If you need a good example look at the documentaries on NetFlix like Living on One Dollar. These people live so far under the poverty level that their government doesn’t even know they exist. They are so poor they can’t even imagine a car with 4 doors, let alone a BMW or something really nice. They have dirt floors, no running water, no air conditioning in weather hotter than we can imagine, no access to medical care, etc… But, guess what? They are happy and will give to others what they have/can.

When it really all boils down to it, it’s about how we see life. What brings true happiness? Is it wealth, money, cars, mansions, etc.? What really is wealth? If you look at the TV, you will see wealth defined as that nice Mercedes Benz or similar car, a fancy house, expensive clothes and colognes, expensive $200 Air Jordan sneakers, $20 Lebron James Socks, etc… That is not true lasting wealth.

Want to see how long that happiness lasts? Go buy that luxury item. Go buy those expensive sneakers, jeans, socks, or go lease that that expensive car (Maserati, Mercedes, BMW, etc…) Now, let a few days go by – do you regret that purchase? Does that luxury item that you bought still make you happy? With all these items you will see the manufacturers now roll out new features, better options, colors, etc. each and every single year. So regardless, your big purchase anywhere from a couple days to a year becomes obsolete.

That Mercedes that looked great a year and a half ago now doesn’t have the status symbol attached to it that it previously did. That $20 pair of Lebron James socks doesn’t make you jump any faster, nor does that $200 pair of Air Jordan sneakers. Some of the greatest legends in basketball did some of their greatest moves, slam dunks, layups, three-pointers with a $20 pair of sneakers. Many of the greatest legends in sports came from extreme poverty and bad circumstances – like Hank Aaron, Herschel Walker, etc…

What I’m trying to get here is true wealth is not defined by expensive socks, sneakers, cars, houses or even money. True wealth equates to happiness – lasting happiness. It’s that simple. It’s all about your outlook on life. You can say woe is me, why is all this stuff happening to me and play the blame game. Blame society, blame a poor upbringing, blame your friends or even blame God as some people do. Stop placing blame on other people. Instead look inside.

True happiness is not an external thing. It begins inside of each and every single one of us. Yes there are bumps and hazards in life. But those bumps, hazards and pitfalls can also be opportunities. No, I’m not saying that chemotherapy, surgeries and other ongoing medical conditions are fun or painless. But it is our outlook on life. It is how we see these things that controls where we go. It is how we envision each and every day that controls our happiness and thusly our real wealth in this world.

Take the time to smell the roses. Take the time every morning to look outside whether it’s raining or sunny and be thankful. Thank God for another beautiful and wonderful day. Regardless of your circumstances – regardless of whether you have financial difficulties that you think are insurmountable, regardless of the illness that you or a family member may be dealing with, etc. you can see each day and each circumstance is not opportunity for growth or an opportunity to place blame. One will make you happy the other will do the opposite.

Life was never meant to be fair. Again it is free will. God is there to help you through this. It is all up to you. Pray to him like he is your long lost best friend – he has been waiting all your life to be there for you and help you. Tell him about your troubles, difficulties. Don’t waste another day being negative or placing blame. Change your life – get out that dusty, old bible and read through the books of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John – pay special attention to the words in red if it’s a King James Bible as those are the words of Jesus Christ. Learn about how God wants you to be happy and what his recommendations are for a happy life.